Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Surat, Nov 18 (IANS) The ED has attached three immovable properties worth Rs 2.13 crore in a money laundering case linked to the investigation into several cyber crime cases, including digital seizure of over Rs 100 crore. An official gave this information on Tuesday.
The ED said the culprits allegedly converted the ill-gotten money from their victims into cryptocurrency (USDT) by sending the cash through various ‘hawala operators’.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Surat sub-zonal office on Monday provisionally attached the properties of Maqbul Abdul Rehman doctor and his family members, the official said in a statement.
Earlier, during the ED investigation, four accused Maqbul Abdul Rehman Doctor, Kashif Maqbul Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai and Om Rajendra Pandya were arrested under PMLA, 2002 for various offenses under the Act.
Based on the investigation conducted by the Special Operations Group of Surat Police, the ED initiated investigation against Maqbul Doctor and others under the provisions of PMLA, 2002.
In the present case, Maqbul Doctor, his sons Kashif and Bassam and other associates have defrauded innocent people through various cyber frauds like digital arrest, forex trading and threatening innocent persons by sending fake notices of law enforcement agencies like “Supreme Court of India and ED”.
As a part of their modus operandi of laundering the proceeds of crime, they have opened or arranged bank accounts in the name of their employees/associates/hired persons for collection and accumulation of POC.
Additionally, to operate the said bank accounts, the accused have obtained pre-activated SIM cards using similar modus operandi, the ED said in a statement.
During investigation under the provisions of money laundering, ED investigators found that Maqbul Doctor, Kashif Maqbul Doctor and others have committed money laundering by converting POC generated from criminal activities into cryptocurrencies (USDT) by routing the cash through various ‘Hawala Operators’ to evade regulatory scrutiny and facilitate money laundering.
–IANS
rch/and